


Dandelion

by AZFell4Crowly



Category: The Witcher (TV)
Genre: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia is Bad at Feelings, Happy Ending, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, M/M, Song Lyrics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 03:01:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25367260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AZFell4Crowly/pseuds/AZFell4Crowly
Summary: Geralt is traveling alone again and he keeps hearing this one song everywhere.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Kudos: 14





	Dandelion

**Author's Note:**

> Songfic please enjoy. Also, I just made some background stuff up.

Geralt heard bits of a new song that was going around. Bards of all skills or lack thereof were singing it in every town he stopped in. He never listened to the words, taverns could be loud so he focused on letting all the noise fade into the background as he ate and finished his drink that tasted more of piss than ale. He got up and headed to his room, a bit of the song followed him. 

*Oh, what a shame

Now it don't look the same

Guess it don't look the same

Oh, what a shame*

He opened the door, to the smell of scented oil and honey. Followed by a crash.

"Damn it Jas…" He stopped because the crash was a maid dropping a jar. She looked at him, eyes wide with fear. 

"I'm sorry sir, I'm sorry I'll clean it up right away, sorry. I'm sorry." It sounded like begging. The words were I'm sorry but the tone sounded like please don't hurt me. She finished and without quite running hurried out of the room. 

Geralt looked at the now empty room, that's right, Jaskier didn't travel with him anymore. The bard had lasted longer than most, but in the end he loses everyone. Why should Jaskier be any different?

_"You know, when I was young the kids that made fun of my name called me Dandelion." Jaskier said sleepily curled up next to Geralt._

_"Hmmmm."_

_"Because my name means buttercup, which is a yellow flower as well. Geralt I'm sure I've told you this before." The bard smacked his arm as if to scold him. "Thing is, I always thought dandelions were kind of pretty." Jaskier yawned before falling to sleep._

Geralt missed the sound of his voice, the feeling of his body next to him and the way Jaskier smelled. There was no point in dwelling. He didn't need anyone, Witchers don't need anyone. 

Nearly four months had passed since Geralt had first heard that song. It was still very popular, the biggest earworm since that stupid coin song Jaskier wrote. It has been almost a year since the bard left him. It had been Geralt's fault, Jaskier had done something stupid. He couldn't even remember what it had been but he had snapped. Geralt lost control for an instant and in the moment had hit his lark. Not the way he had when they first met, he had held back then. Broken ribs and the hot metallic smell of blood mixed with the bard's scented oils. That had been the first time he had seen Jaskier look at him with fear. 

Geralt shook the memory off and made his way to the inn. When he opened the door he was hit with that song again. 

*Call me what you want,

You can't stop me multiplyin'

Pull me from the dirt,

No, you don't want me in your garden

Dandelion, dandelion*

The bard singing it wasn't very good and he couldn't hit some of the notes. But why did it strike a cord in him? Like something he forgot.

The weeks passed and Geralt avoided towns now, he only went in to look for work and left. He didn't stay in town at night, but even on the road he could escape his lark. 

_"I don't think I mind this whole sleeping outside thing when I'm with you." Jaskier smiled, wriggling his way into the bedroll with Geralt._

He couldn't even avoid the song on busy roads, between people trying to sing it and bards stopped on the side singing it for a little coin. It was everywhere. Geralt shut out the noise of the busy road and hurried along until he was able to break off into a nearby wood. 

If anyone asked he would say witchers don't dream, mostly he remembers. Remembers the smell of Jaskier's blood, the pained sounds and the way Jaskier flinched when Geralt had reached out for him. They had been a day's fast ride from a town with a healer. Geralt had pushed Roach hard to get into town as fast as possible. Every pained sound that Jaskier made, echoed in his ears. 

_"Don't worry Witcher, your friend will be fine." The healer said after wrapping the bard's chest._

_"I'm fine Geralt! A few more weeks and I'll be fit to travel again." Jaskier shouted at Geralt after he had said they shouldn't travel together anymore. It was true Geralt was too dangerous. "We've talked about this before Wolf, I'm not leaving you again."_

Geralt woke with the morning sun. The memory left a bitter taste in his mouth. Geralt always ruined everything, every person he loved was sullied or dead because of him. He wondered what Jaskier was up to these days, surely writing songs and chasing women like old times. After a meal of dried meat and stale bread, Geralt headed back out to find work. The next town was only a few hours walk. 

_"I'm leaving, I don't need you anymore." Geralt knew his words would wound deeper than any physical damage he could inflict on his lark. He couldn't waver, Jaskier would be happier without him. "Don't try to follow me." He kept his tone hard and cold. He knew what Jaskier would say next, to try and keep him there. Geralt turned his back. "You should know better than that bard. Witchers can't love and I don't love you anyways. You were just a pleasant distraction and now you are a burden." Geralt could hear his lark's sobs as he left town._

When he arrived in town something smelled familiar but he couldn't place it. The tavern wasn't far and he was in need of a drink. Before he even opened the door he heard that song again but this time it was different. The voice that was singing it was lovely, he knew it better than his own. Smooth and melodic, full of life and often sass. His heart beat faster and for the first time he heard the words to the song everyone had been singing. 

*When I was a little child,

my mama said to me

"What's your favorite flower, darling? I'll get you the seed"

I said, "Dandelion, Dandelion"

That one’s so pretty

She said, "Child, that one's not a flower, that one's just a weed."

Oh, what a shame

Now it don't look the same

Guess it don't look the same

Oh, what a shame

Call me what you want

You can't stop me multiplyin'

Pull me from the dirt,

No, you don't want me in your garden

Dandelion, dandelion*

How could Geralt forget, Dandelion had been Jaskier's stage name for years before they met. He tucked himself into the shadows so Jaskier wouldn't see him.

*I still loved those mellow yellow petals anyway

What's that thing they say about a rose by any other name?

Then my fragile flower turned into a ball of grey

So, I took a breath and made a wish and blew them all away

Oh, what a shame

Now it don't look the same

Guess it don't look the same

Oh, what a shame

Call me what you want

You can't stop me multiplyin'

Pull me from the dirt,

No, you don't want me in your garden

Dandelion, dandelion

So I took a breath and made a wish and blew them all away.*

The whole tavern cheered and tossed coins at his feet. Geralt forgot how radiant his lark looked when performing. He could smell his fancy oils and the sweat that clung to his skin. It made his heart hurt, like a dagger had been plunged in hilt deep. It was no use, he couldn't have him back. But there was no harm in watching him for a moment, to see how happy his bard was now. The song he wrote was very popular, so he was writing, that was good. It seemed like that had been his closing number, Jaskier was now enjoying a well deserved drink. 

Geralt didn't wanna risk being spotted now that Jaskier was moving around the room. So he quickly slipped out of the tavern, and with Roach in tow headed out of town. 

He must have been distracted because he hadn't heard the sound of someone running toward him. 

"Geralt!" 

He stopped for a heart beat, Jaskier had noticed him and was now trying to catch up to him. The witcher kept walking, a little faster now. 

"Geralt, you bastard! You had better stop right now!" The bard screamed at him. 

With a sigh, he stopped to face his lark. When he turned and met grey eyes. Geralt opened his mouth to say something but was hit rather harder than he thought the bard could manage, before being pulled into a kiss. When Jaskier pulled away, Geralt just looked at him quizzically. 

Jaskier broke out in laughter, the sound was sweet to his ears. "Geralt, I wish you could see your face." He said, taking a deep breath. "You are a fool, an ass and by all rights I should hate you for being cruel to me. Leaving me while I was still healing so I couldn't follow." Jaskier looked at him fondly.

Geralt didn't know what to do, so he stood frozen in place.

"I'm not stupid Geralt, I know you said those thing to hurt me so I would stay away." He leaned back in for a quick kiss. "Foolish as I am, I still love you and I'm willing to forgive all if you are willing to have me back. My white wolf." 

Geralt's brain was working in overdrive. He should deny the bard, hurt him one final time to make him stay away for good. But everything in his whole being just wanted Jaskier back. The last year and a half had been miserable without his lark. Was he allowed to have what Jaskier was offering? Was he allowed to be happy?

Jaskier gently touched Geralt's face, "Come now, of course you are allowed to be happy." The bard said as if he knew what Geralt was thinking. Jaskier smiled and took his hand. "Over thinking this kind of thing has always been a problem for you. So how about it Geralt?" 

He couldn't think of what to say, he wanted to tell Jaskier so much but didn't know how. 

"Mmmm" He nodded and followed the bard back to the inn. 

"You always know just what to say." Jaskier beamed at him.

The next morning Geralt woke to the sound of humming and the feeling of his lark tucked up against his side. Jaskier's long fingers running through his hair. "I've missed this." There he admitted it, not that the bard didn't already know that. 

"Hmmmm" Jaskier hummed happily. 

End.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome.


End file.
